2013 Subaru Outback: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
296 NHTSA owner complaints · 12 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
The Outback's record is quiet through the fourth and fifth generations apart from the FB25 engine's oil-consumption complaints on 2013–2014 cars, which Subaru settled with a class action. The sixth generation launched for 2020 on a new platform with a new infotainment system and a turbocharged 2.4-litre option, and the 2019–2020 years carry the highest counts in the Outback's history: the Starlink touchscreen freezing and rebooting, the battery draining, the windscreen cracking. Read the full note on the model page. 2013 specifically: a year the record favours — 296 complaints, score 72/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Used Subaru Outback and Forester: oil consumption, then Starlink, then a clean run, including 2013 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-01.
Owner complaints: 296 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 22.77
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
Please contact Carvana and make them take that vehicle off the market. I purchased it and by chance found out that bottom parts like subframe and exhaust pipe were inadequately installed . The mechanic said eventually I was going to flip over myself on the highway in that car. He also stated that this repair cost would be around $8000 - more than half of this used car was offered for on Carvana. I returned the car. H…
Not really sure, I don’t remember. It’s a wooded area , lots of deer etc. But I honestly don’t remember I saw my car It it fully intact , all doors , hood,trunk Open, car starts too Only front drivers wheel is bent in and lowest part of front bumper needs repair
The contact owns a 2013 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that after pulling into the driveway, the passenger-side door was opened and the driver-side airbag deployed. The contact stated the airbag had exploded inadvertently. The contact informed their insurance and was waiting for further instructions. The dealer was not informed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed. The fai…
Recalls: 12 campaigns (11 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 20V003000 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New… |
| 20V002000 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri,… |
| 20V001000 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (STI included), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto… |
| 18V012000 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Legacy, Forester, Tribeca, WRX and Outback vehicles, and 2009-2011 Impreza vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan),… |
| 19V008000 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Outback, and Legacy vehicles, 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles and 2010-2013 Forester vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico,… |
| 19V007000 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Forester, 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Outback, Legacy, and 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan),… |
| 19V009000 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles and 2010-2013 Forester vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode… |
| 19V297000 | Electrical System:Ignition:Switch | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, 2008-2011 Impreza vehicles, 2008-2014 WRX vehicles, 2005-2014 Legacy vehicles, 2005-2014 Outback vehicles and 2006-2008 Tribeca vehicles equipped with a mechanical key ignition switch installed as a replacement part. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a mid-size SUV of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 20 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,100
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Engine67 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Power Train59 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Air Bags42 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Steering34 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
- Vehicle Speed Control26 complaints · typical job: Throttle body, pedal sensor or cruise module replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$520–$1,150
- Service Brakes25 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
Other Subaru Outback years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2013 Subaru Outback?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Engine (67 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2013 Subaru Outback a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 72/100, computed from 296 NHTSA complaints and 12 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2013 Subaru Outback's most common problem?
67 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2013 Subaru Outback sit in the Engine group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is cooling-system or timing-drive repair: about 6.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,040–$2,220 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2013 Subaru Outback cost to run per year?
About $5,882 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $29,412 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2013 Subaru Outback have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 12 recall campaign(s) for the 2013 Subaru Outback, 11 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 02/01/2020. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other midsize suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2013 Subaru Outback really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Strong evidence — 296 complaints, 12 recalls on record
- 296 NHTSA complaints on record (22.8/yr of exposure) — better than a typical year of this model (64.2/yr)
- 12 recall campaigns, 11 touching safety-critical systems